Summary: A revelation on Zeus'
part allows him to turn his life around and be faithful to his wife.
Hera/Zeus

Understanding

Zeus sighed in frustration. His wife,
Hera, had disappeared without a reason or a goodbye. Well, perhaps
she had a reason- catching her husband cheating on her again. Still,
Zeus could not understand why she had to overreact and leave. Didn't
she understand that he was king of the gods? He shouldn't have to
enjoy only one woman! He had tried to explain this to her, but she
didn't understand.

Ugh, women. He would never understand
them.

Sighing, he stood over the pool of
water near his throne and waved his hands over it.

"Show me Hera," he commanded. He
had never done this before. Usually, he looked for Hera manually –
it always helped get her back when she knew how much effort he had
dedicated looking for her – but this time, he was too tired to
search for her.

What he saw shocked him. Hera was
sitting by a lake in a beautiful white dress . Beside her was a
handsome, shirtless man that she was staring at fondly.

"Hera," breathed the man, "Why
must you be so faithful to him? Your husband does not treat you well. I would never be unfaithful. I would love you the way you deserved
to be loved."

Hera rolled her eyes, but Zeus could
see her blushing.

"Alex, you know that I can't. We can
only be friends."

Zeus flushed in anger as Hera slid her
dress off and lowered herself into the water. What did she think she
was doing, showing this lover boy her undergarments?

"Let's take a swim."

Alex quickly followed her into the
water, swimming dangerously close to Hera. His eyes wandered over her
body.

"Beautiful," he whispered huskily.

Hera was busy staring at the moon.

"I know," she whispered. "Isn't
it?"

The man's eyes softened.

"Let me kiss you," he pleaded. Zeus
glared at him. So the soppy bastard thought he could seduce his wife?

Hera shook her head, still not tearing
her eyes away from the stars.

"I am married," she reminded him.
"And not an unfaithful woman."

"But I love you," he begged.

"It is nice to know that someone
does." Hera responded sadly.

Zeus blinked. That statement stung a
lot more than he was ready to admit.

The man looked even more depressed than
she did.

"So this is it. Infidelity wins
again."

Hera turned to look at him.

"In a way, yes. But you have beat
Zeus in one very important way."

"How?" he asked hopefully. "Do
you love me?"

Both Zeus and Alex held their breaths
as they awaited her answer.

"No," she responded finally. Zeus
grinned as Alex's face fell.

"But you make me happy," she
continued. "A handsome, kind man loves me, and that makes me happy.
You pay attention to me. You haven't been with another woman since
you feel in love with me. I love Zeus, but he is the cause for all of
my sadness. If I had never fallen in love with him, I would have been
better off. He doesn't love me; everyone knows it. He's not even
sorry for hurting me - he thinks I'm irrational. I wish I hated
him."

Zeus felt his heart sink. Was he really
making Hera that miserable? He had just had a taste of jealousy when
Hera went swimming with that man – if she had even kissed him,
he would have wrung Alex's neck and probably thrown a temper tantrum
that would destroy everything in sight. He had actually slept
with these women. Now, he could
see why Hera got so upset when he was unfaithful. She wasn't
overreacting. Feeling like an idiot, he turned his attention back to
the "couple".

"I have to go now," Hera was
saying, magically drying herself and slipping on her dress. The soppy
romantic in the lake blew her a kiss as she Magicked herself away.

Zeus quickly waved his hand over the
water again, removing evidence of his spying before quickly sitting
back down in his throne. Hera appeared before him moments later. Zeus
wanted to say something- anything- but he couldn't find the right
words. However, silence seemed to catch Hera's attention. No lectures
on how irrational she was? No complaining that she interrupted time
he could be spending with another woman?

"Whats wrong with you?" she asked,
raising an eyebrow.

Zeus blinked.

"Nothing - I just – Welcome home,
wife."

Hera stared at him oddly before shaking
her head and retiring to their room. Zeus' messenger waited before
he was sure she was out of the room before appearing. He bowed before
the god before speaking.

" Appolonia has requested your
presence, Milord. She says she has arranged a wonderful day for the
two of you." The messenger seemed angry and embarrassed to be
delivering this message; he liked Hera and felt that Zeus should
treat his wife better.

Zeus looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Tell her I will not be attending to
her – now, or ever."

The messenger seemed thrilled and
hurried off to deliver the message. Zeus smiled as he slid off of his
throne and went in search of his wife. He would make things change.
He would make her happy.

Two years later:

Zeus sighed in relief and happiness .
His wife, Hera, had just delivered a baby girl. Zeus still didn't
understand for the life of him how she could possibly push a baby out
of her...her...thing. Didn't she understand that she was Queen
of the gods? She shouldn't choose to go through so much pain. He had
tried to explain this to her, but she didn't understand. She still
wanted to deliver their children naturally, without the help of
marriage- like the mortals did.

Ugh, women. He would never understand
them.

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.